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BRAKE IMPROVEMENTS


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Hi all,

Need some advice with regard to improving the brakes on my 664a.

the calipers have been professionally overhauled but have the original green stuff pads which must be at least 10 years old, do pads harden with age and their stopping power reduce?

what alternatives would give better braking?

I have silicone fluid which I understand gives a spongier feel but don't really want to change it ...too involved.

Would the addition of a servo help matters?

 

The braking used to be pretty good had to lay the car up for 2 years due to illness now trying to get it running ok.

Just replaced the stage 2 cam with a standard one so running is much smoother but really would like to improve the braking system.

Any advice especially with regard to servo installation would be most welcome.

Regards Lee

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Hi Lee,

GreenStuff either works or it doesn't. I used to get on with them OK but then they stopped working. Haven' a clue.

 

In the end I went over to Ferodo FDS167 pads. These are slightly better than Green stuff but do the same thing each time. I like them

And yes they can lock up the wheels if you want to.

 

Others prefer Mintex 1144. Don;t know how they work as I have not used them but many forum users like them.

 

A servo will apply much more force but ask yourself the question - can you lock the wheels up at present. - If the answer is yes thyen you don;t need the servo with any possible problems it will bring.

 

Roger

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I went to the Blyton track event yesterday for some mild motor sport. First time and I did enjoy it. I mentioned to the more experienced that I was running standard brakes and was this adequate. The resounding answer was yes. The reason being was why would want to lock up my brakes any more than I was already capable of doing.. You want better friction without locking the brakes and this is done by suspension and tyres. I used my "standard brakes" a lot more and they got a lot hotter than any road use without any signs of degradation. Unless I enter serious completion the bog standard non servo brakes do for me.

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Pads and maybe new disks should be all you need

 

The Ferodo or Mintex options Roger mentions, or Hawk HPS are all recommended consistently.

 

I kention disks as on my last tr6 i spent ages trying to get decent stopping power, eventually traced to contaminated disks which looked a little brown and apparently had zero 'grip'

 

Disks for the TR are very cheap, so perhaps get a new set of reputable make and your choice on new pads, bed them in and i'm confident you'll be happy.

 

On the silicon, which i too have, it does indeed have a more spongey feel which i do not like, but i do like that it doesnt eat paint!

 

Hope that helps!

 

Steve

Edited by SDerbyshire
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If you can't lock up your wheels, the the brakes need work to make them work, not replacement or 'upgrading'.

If your brakes fade through excessive use, competition or pass storming, then the greatest modification you can make is vented discs.

 

+/- a 'hotter' grade of pad. All manufacturers offer these, that operate at a higher temperature. EG Minted 1144 - road use: 1155 - fast road/race use : 1166 - pure race. The 'hotter' they are the worse they work when cold, although I use 1155s and they are never a problem even at the first traffic lights.

 

Optimise your OE brakes, and consider the above if you push them beyond their production use.

 

John

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Lee,

 

Just an observation that no one above has mentioned rear brake shoes in addition to the front pads. You will never get the best brakes without a good rears as well. Four braked wheels are better than two!

 

On my car Mintex rear shoes (CM9101) from Cambridge Motor Sport (no connection) made the biggest difference to the cars stopping distance after upgrading the fronts. Once fitted the difference when braking whilst cornering was impressive, much more balanced.

 

Alan

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FWIW I have 10" rears with genuine original Alfin drums, them coupled with original asbestos linings and front pads means my 4a will out brake most with no problem at all.

Stuart.

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Personally my experience with Greenstuff was enough to convince me that more of their budget was spent on marketing than the product! I fitted one of the vented kits that were supplied by Rimmers and others. Developed a little bit of run out on one of the discs so contacted them to obtain replacement discs as Rimmers and others had stopped doing the kits. Their customer service denied that they had ever produced the discs in spite of looking very much like their product, supplied in their original packaging and with their greensnot pads to boot! Not sure if they made the spacers or whether a 3rd party had made them.

 

Hopeless pads compared to 1144s or Hawke.

1144 have lots of bite cold but do fade with spirited use! Will try the 1155s next time.

Edited by andymoltu
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The box my 1144s came in said 'not for road use' in small print. Didn't see it until after I had fitted them :lol:

Why?

They work well, even from cold.

Peter

Edited by Peter Cobbold
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I bought a set of these.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LOTUS-ELAN-Models-1967-72-SET-QUALITY-MINTEX-FRONT-BRAKE-PADS-GDB-525-/253125874038?hash=item3aef7a5176:g:fs0AAOSw-K9ZHNLC

 

As NOS Mintex in Unipart box I am quite happy with the performance.

 

Girling brake pad number being GDB525 for cars with calipers that use 1/4" diameter brake pad locating pins.

 

NB My TR3A has TR 4/5/6 discs and calipers.

 

Peter W

 

PS Make an offer of £15.00 see if they play.....

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